Abstract

When many Americans think of ska music, they think of the ska punk of the 1990s from bands such as Sublime and Rancid. However, there is a very interesting history of how the ska punk of the nineties came to be and the great transformation it has taken since its original form. For my topic, I will investigate how the genre of ska music made its way from Jamiaca in the 1960s, to the United Kingdom in the 1970s, and finally to the United States in the 1990s. At each location and time, ska played an integral role in forming social identity. The music became popular in Jamaica at the same time the country became independent from Great Britain. Ska originated there in the late 1950s, but since than it has taken so many shapes and forms that have influenced its sounds greatly. Who knew that Bob Marley could be considered ska, but in fact, ska gave birth to the subgenres rock steady and reggae. In the UK, ska fused with punk during the seventies and bands in America formed their versions of ska in the nineties. The music celebrates equality and openness, and the steady bass line, joyful horn sounds, and up-tempo guitar complement this.